Waking Blind
by jesser17
Summary: Sasuke wakes up after a serious battle to find himself badly injured and worse, blind. With no memory of what happened, will he be able to recover? Or will he have to depend on an old bond that he meant to destroy? SasuNaru friendship. Manga spoilers
1. Chapter 1

Here's a sweet little two-shot that I've been working on after losing my muse on _Fires Rekindling _(which I do plan on finishing... sorry!). I really took my time on this one. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Warnings: Possible spoilers for Naruto manga ch 455, so it's best to be caught up, just in case. Some angst. And if you squint, this can be a sort of narusasunaru.

**Waking Blind**

'_Beep_'... '_Beep_'… '_Beep_'… The high-pitched, incessant noise brought Uchiha Sasuke slowly back to consciousness. He struggled against it at first, longing to creep back into that quiet, gray world of his mind. In its emptiness was peace, and somehow the Uchiha knew he would find no such peace in the waking world.

But it was too late. The pull on his mind strengthened as his other senses slowly began to awaken, dragging him away from his silent, apathetic world. At first he felt nothing, aware only of the steady beeping somewhere to his right. The pain came next. It seared along his right side like fire, burning through the last dregs of unconsciousness.

Sasuke clenched his fists, his breath catching in his throat. He was fully awake now, taking note of every sensation in his body, trying to gather where he was and what had happened. It wasn't just his right side. Sasuke's eyes burned behind closed lids, and his head throbbed with such intensity, that he had to fight down the urge to be sick.

Doing his best to ignore the pain, Sasuke began to feel out his surroundings. He was lying on a bed – no, a hospital bed. Those were clean, starchy sheets that smelled of disinfectant. And that noise… it was a heart monitor. It had sped up somewhat, betraying Sasuke's wakefulness. Realizing this, the Uchiha forced himself to relax again, slowing down his heart rate. After years as a shinobi, he knew better than to give himself away before he was ready. He had to be patient. Completely certain of his surroundings before acting. _Naruto never did understand that_.

That last thought caught Sasuke by surprise. _Naruto?_ He hadn't thought about his old teammate in a long time, always forcing such thoughts to the back of his mind before they had a chance to form. To think of him now, that could only mean Sasuke had seen him recently. He cursed inwardly, trying to remember what had happened. But he might as well try to capture smoke. The memories faded before he had the chance to understand them. But his instincts told him that Naruto was somehow involved. And the Uchiha's instincts were never wrong.

Yes, that was something he could depend on. His abilities as a shinobi. Concentrating, Sasuke used one of these abilities; feeling out chakra in the area in his search for anyone else – especially other shinobi – nearby.

There was someone else in the room with him, somewhere to his left. Their chakra was faint and weak. They had a heart monitor too, he realized. He couldn't be sure of who it was, but Sasuke could tell they were unconscious. No one could stay awake with such depleted chakra. The Uchiha stretched his senses further, but there was no one else nearby.

Reassured, Sasuke cautiously tried to move, feeling out any damage that could hinder him should he need to run or fight. His limbs seemed fine, but that searing pain along his right overwhelmed him at the smallest movement. And worse… Sasuke couldn't open his eyes. _No way_. Alarmed, he reached up, his shaking hands touching the rough, tight bandage wrapped around his head, covering his eyes.

Sasuke swallowed, trying to suppress the rising panic bubbling up in his chest. He could handle just about everything, but if he lost his eyes, his precious bloodline limit… Sasuke sucked in a deep breath. _Calm down._ Nothing was certain yet. And besides, his eyes seemed fine. They burned, but Sasuke could move them from beneath his eyelids. More than likely, he had overused the Sharingan. He could only hope then that he hadn't caused his eyes permanent damage. But even so, something else bothered him. Sasuke had known for some time what the Sharingan did to him. He avoided using it whenever possible. And even when he did, his eyes weren't ever put in this bad condition. So what the hell happened to make him resort to using his Sharingan so much? He must have been desperate.

The Uchiha's thoughts were interrupted as he sensed someone approaching. Carefully, he placed his arms back at his sides, easily feigning sleep before the sound of footsteps could even be heard.

For a few moments, all Sasuke could hear were footsteps growing steadily closer and the continuous beeping of two heart monitors. Then the door to the room opened and not even Sasuke could stop the brief jump in his heart as he felt surprise and confusion at the familiar chakra.

It was Sakura.

She entered quietly and shut the door softly behind her. Sasuke could hear the gentle click as it closed. She moved first to the bed on Sasuke's left. He could tell she was moving cautiously, as though afraid of waking them. There was the sound of a tray being set on something, and then of liquid being poured into glass. After that, Sasuke could only guess at the various taps and clinks as Sakura worked. The Uchiha wondered at first what she was doing, but then he sensed something else that surprised him: medical ninjustu. There was no doubting it. The chakra control involved is distinct, and difficult to perform. But Sakura was clearly very skilled.

_So she's a medical ninja_. Sasuke mulled over the thought for a while, and suddenly felt a heavy, sinking feeling in his chest. If Sakura was here… that meant he had failed. Everything that Sasuke had come to Konoha for – its destruction, his revenge – must have all been for nothing. Unless… Was Sakura helping him?

Sasuke shook the thought away. He had broken those bonds with his old team a long time ago. They would have no reason to help him now – at least, as far as he could tell. Either way, the Uchiha needed answers. Before long, however, he found himself drifting off again. Soft, gray fog clouded his mind, and he gladly embraced the loss of thought and feeling. Just before he lost himself completely, however, Sakura's whisper to her patient drifted across the room.

"I'm so sorry… Naruto."

* * *

It was the pain that woke Sasuke up this time. It pounded inside his skull and throbbed along his side, engulfing him completely before he even remembered where he was. This time, Sasuke couldn't help but groan softly as he shifted under the sheets, trying to make his stiff body more comfortable. He hated this. The Uchiha was rarely so injured that he could barely move. It made him feel horribly vulnerable.

"Sasuke…?"

Sakura's soft, nervous voice made him stiffen. He hadn't even realized she was there. Sakura walked over to his bedside, dragging what sounded like a chair with her. There was a pause, but then Sasuke heard her sit down beside him.

The hand on his forehead was cool. But Sasuke's nerves were so raw that it hurt. He clenched his teeth, but didn't move.

"Sasuke-kun, can you hear me?"

He nodded, once. He was shivering now, trembling from pain and weakness. But through the pain, Sasuke's senses were picking up on someone else approaching, and sure enough, he could hear the clacking of heels echoing quickly in the hallway. Beside him, Sasuke heard Sakura stand up respectfully. She removed her hand, much to his relief.

The door swung open as someone entered the room. The Uchiha could sense their power as a shinobi. But that didn't surprise him. He already knew who it was.

"Awake already, is he?" Tsunade, Konoha's fifth Hokage, sounded the same. Blunt and to the point.

"Yes he is, but…" Sakura's voice sounded strained, as though she was under a lot of pressure.

The footsteps drew closer, and Sasuke felt a warm rush of chakra centered around his torso as Tsunade began her examination. The medical ninjustu was almost soothing as it numbed some of his pain. He began to relax again, though his body was covered in a cold sweat and still shivering uncontrollably. Dimly, Sasuke noticed the faint smell of sake on the lady's breath as she leaned in closer over him. Even in his state, Sasuke grimaced. The thought of being taken care of by a doctor who drank was doing nothing to comfort him.

At last, Tsunade drew back with a heavy sigh.

"He's still suffering from shock," she murmured quietly. "How he's awake already, I have no idea." She paused. When she spoke again, Sasuke could tell she was smiling, though she sounded sad. "He's even worse than our Naruto."

Sakura took in a shaking breath, and the softly falling tears were evident in her voice.

"They're both so damn reckless…"

Their voices began to drift away as Sasuke again gave into his pain and exhaustion and lapsed into unconsciousness. By the time Sakura inserted the needle into his forearm, he was so far gone that he barely felt it. One thought bothered the Uchiha: They spoke of Naruto again. Naruto had to be the other patient in the room with him. But why? Why Naruto? What the hell happened?

* * *

"…Not sure yet --"

"--never done before, but…"

"…no choice."

Urgent, whispered voices finally held Sasuke's attention. He had been laying there for hours at least, in that strange state between waking and sleeping. Where dreams and reality blend in a careless and smoky haze. Sasuke longed for full sleep, but something was urging him to wake up completely. It gnawed at his mind, reminding him of his aching side and unknown surroundings. Reluctantly, Sasuke let the last dregs of sleep drift away. It was dark, or at least it seemed to be. Sasuke had a feeling that it was very late at night. He concentrated on keeping his heart rate down, and listened in on the conversation about 5 feet to his left, at Naruto's bed.

"You know this is not my area of expertise," murmured a low voice. Sasuke recognized it at once: it was Kakashi's, his sensei from a long time ago. "I'm nothing at all like Jiraiya, or the Fourth for that matter."

"But you're the best we've got," whispered Tsunade fiercely. "Between the two of us, we should pull it off." She didn't sound convincing.

There was a tense pause. "And if we fail?"

"Then we'd get the same result as we would if we did nothing," Tsunade hissed. "The seal is far too weak to hold back the demon as it is. I don't know how long Naruto's body can handle the strain. If we wait too long…" She trailed off, too upset and nervous to finish say what could happen out loud.

Another pause. Kakashi sighed. "Alright. I'll do what I can."

"Good!" Tsunade's heartfelt whisper drifted across the room. "Good."

"So you're really going to do it then?" Kakashi and Tsunade jumped at the sound of Sakura's voice. It sounded like she was standing in the doorway. There were a few hurried steps, the sound of the door closing. "You're going to reform the seal? I thought you said it couldn't be done!"

"Sakura --" Kakashi started.

Sakura interrupted him. "But—but this procedure could kill Naruto, right? We don't even know how the Fourth's seal works!"

"Do you think we really have a choice?" Tsunade's voice was very quiet. "If there were another alternative, I would gladly take it… But right now, Naruto's dying. Reforming the seal, however impossible it may seem, is the only way we can save him!"

Silence followed, broken only by the continuous beeping of Sasuke and Naruto's heart monitors. Sasuke's head was reeling from what he had just heard. The seal broken? How? Sasuke had seen the design himself: it was flawless. But the sinking feeling in his chest told the Uchiha that, somehow, he already knew. The seal had been broken. It filled him with a strange feeling of fear and something else that he couldn't place. Bits and pieces of memory floated past his mind: blinding red chakra… Naruto's empty, slitted eyes… a leering demon… a towering, broken cage…

After a few, tense moments, the sounds of people shuffling to their feet snapped Sasuke out of his thoughts.

"We'll meet here, tomorrow morning at dawn," stated Tsunade. "Here is a list of other shinobi that I'll need. Don't be late."

"Of course," Kakashi murmured quietly. "Thank you."

"Sensei?" Sakura's voice was timid. Kakashi's retreating footsteps paused. "Do you – Do you think he'll be alright?"

Kakashi paused, gathering his thoughts. "Naruto can get through just about anything. If anyone can survive, it's him… Or at least, him and Sasuke."

Sasuke almost flinched as he felt a hand against his forehead.

"Tsk, we'd better hope so." Tsunade murmured thoughtfully right above him. "This guy's not much better off. But after that stunt he pulled…" She sighed. "I've never seen anything like it."

A hush fell over everyone in the room. Sasuke could sense the fear in their thoughts.

"We owe him Naruto's life," Sakura whispered. "I'd hate to think what would happen if either of them…"

"They'll be fine." Kakashi sounded confident, but Sasuke could still hear the tremor in his voice. "After all, they're rivals in the strongest sense of the word. They need each other to survive."

The room fell quiet again.

"Well," Tsunade sighed at last, straightening up, "We'd better hope they pull through this time. But right now, we need our rest as well."

Sasuke heard quiet murmurs of agreement. Soon the door shut behind fading footsteps, and Sasuke was left alone.

For several minutes, the Uchiha lay still, trying desperately to remember what had happened in the battle that had landed him and Naruto here in the hospital. But the memories still eluded him. They were only fragments, and Sasuke just couldn't seem to put the pieces together.

And then there was Naruto… Sasuke frowned, listening to the slow rhythm of the heart monitor to his left. Whatever had happened, the blonde had unhinged him somehow. Again. Because suddenly, the Uchiha couldn't quell those feelings of guilt, worry, and contempt whenever Naruto's name was mentioned. He couldn't block out the memories from long ago that he thought he'd forgotten. Those cold, emotionless walls that Sasuke had so carefully built around himself had collapsed. It pissed him off. And as usual, it was all the dead-last idiot's fault.

"Dobe," Sasuke muttered.

"…Teme."

Naruto's whisper was so quiet it could barely be heard. But Sasuke heard it, and his breath caught in his throat at the familiar insult. He listened for more movement, but it seemed Naruto had drifted off again, still too weak to stay awake.

After a tense, breathless pause, Sasuke reached up and, very carefully, peeled back the bandage and gauze that covered his eyes. He opened them slowly, squinting at the rush of light that assaulted him. It took a few seconds, but finally the Uchiha's watering eyes were able to make out the ceiling above him. Slowly, Sasuke turned his head to his left, looking at the dim figure on the bed next to him, illuminated only by the moonlight outside and the light seeping under the door.

He looked the same, Sasuke thought. Bright blonde hair, whisker marks on his cheeks… And when Sasuke looked closer, he could see that Naruto was smiling slightly, even in his sleep. Sasuke scowled. It was a confident, cocky smile, as though the blonde was very proud of himself. Typical Naruto.

The Uchiha watched him thoughtfully for a while, but soon his vision blurred and his eyes began to burn again. Reluctantly, he turned back to the ceiling above him, and replaced the bandages.

It was some time before Sasuke's whirling thoughts and emotions let him completely relax. Just before drifting off, however, his fierce whisper drifted through the quiet room.

"Naruto… don't you dare die."

* * *

The dreams had little substance to them at first. Typical of exhausted, drug-induced sleep, they were like soft swirls of clouds, constantly shifting, moving in and out of the mind's grasp before gaining any real form. But then a hot, evil wind rushed in, scattering the bits of dreams into nothing as it brought something else to fill Sasuke's mind. It happened suddenly, throwing the Uchiha into a terrifying nightmare of cruel eyes and red chakra. Lost to the confines of his own sleeping mind, Sasuke had no choice but to allow it.

He was enveloped completely by the Kyuubi's chakra. It surrounded him, suffocating him, and Sasuke couldn't even struggle. He instead glared up at its source, activating the Sharingan, the only weapon at his disposal.

Through a thick veil of crimson, the demon's glare met his own. Lips pulled back into a menacing snarl, he pinned Sasuke with the force of his hateful gaze. His power, so much more close and raw then the Uchiha had ever seen it, caused the very air to hum and tremble. And Sasuke could tell, in that moment, why the Kyuubi had been considered more of a force of nature than any sort of being. The demon was simply beyond human comprehension.

"Back again, Uchiha?" The fox-demon's voice sounded somewhere between a deep growl and a hiss. Full of rage and contempt as he tilted his massive head and studied Sasuke through one cruel, slitted eye. "I assure you, you will accomplish nothing this time." He grinned wildly then, revealing a towering row of fangs.

Despite the fear that threatened to overwhelm him, Sasuke said nothing, and instead began to fight back, throwing all of his energy into suppressing the demon's chakra. It was instinct. Somehow, the Uchiha prodigy knew he had to push back. He had to stop that chakra. If it got too far…

There was a deafening roar that shook Sasuke's nightmare world, almost breaking his concentration. Desperate, he kept on pushing… and the more he pushed, the more frantic he became. And the more angry and terrifying the Kyuubi grew.

It felt like he was drowning in a sea of abrasive, red chakra. His chest was constricted as he locked eyes with the demon's own – like a small mouse staring down the snake.

"Get back in your damn cage!" Sasuke hissed through clenched teeth. Even in this hellish dream he could feel the blood from his eyes running down his face. He was running out of time.

"Why?" the Kyuubi growled. He was grinning again, though his eyes blazed in surprise and anger. "Think you pathetic humans can keep me there?"

Sasuke smirked. "Don't underestimate us."

More chakra, this time blue and white, rushed in, pure and ice cold. It filled the void surrounding the Kyuubi, illuminating the massive chamber holding him. With a roar that was almost a shriek, the demon whirled around at the intrusion, tails lashing. It was just what Sasuke needed. With a final heave, the Uchiha threw everything he had in pushing the distracted demon's power back into the cage behind him.

Rising on the wave of unpredictable energy, Sasuke gritted his teeth, trying desperately to stay in control. There was a moment of resistance, and then the balance shifted. Slowly at first, but with rising momentum, the Kyuubi's red chakra gave in to Sasuke's own. It retreated into the darkness, bending to the will of the Sharingan.

"Uchiha," the demon spat in disgust. Then he was gone, hidden behind the broken bars of the cage.

The new chakra moved in now, as did several figures. They held the demon in place, working on the seal. But Sasuke hardly noticed. His vision dimmed, and his body felt strangely light, as though he was fading away. Shaking legs could no longer hold him, and Sasuke began to collapse. Just before he hit the cold water on the floor, however, a pair of arms, warm and strong, caught him and held him up.

Dazed, Sasuke managed to turn his head, only to have his vision assaulted by bright gold hair and equally bright blue eyes.

"Teme," whispered a voice. "Will you quit trying to kill yourself for me?" Not about to let Naruto have the last word, Sasuke managed a smirk.

"Moron… my body just moved… on its own."

Sasuke thought he heard a choked sob and the words 'bastard' and 'idiot,' but he was already gone, disappearing into the cool, distant fog of his mind. Back into calm, relaxed sleep at last.

* * *

Glowing red eyes haunted Sasuke's dreams. Not a strong presence, they nevertheless were present; hiding in the dark fog in the corners of his mind, always menacing and wary.

So when Sasuke finally woke up the next day, during a dreary midmorning storm, he was still very much on edge, sitting up and ready to attack before he even realized why. It took only a moment to remember. _Naruto!_

Heightened senses immediately honed in on the blonde's signature, searching for his presence in the room.

Naruto wasn't there.

Panic seized Sasuke like a cold fist, catching his breath and turning his blood to ice. How long had he been asleep? Where was Naruto?

Memories of his nightmare, the all-too real struggle and the pain, flashed through Sasuke's mind, leaving him with no doubt that Naruto's procedure had been a near disaster. And now that he thought about it… something could still go wrong, couldn't it? Sasuke bit his lip, listening to the sound of rain hitting the window. If they screwed anything up, he had no doubt of what the demon would do.

Sasuke had known for some time that the ultimate Sharingan could wield enough power to control the Kyuubi. Well, he didn't have the ability to control it yet, but the Uchiha's eyes had already proven strong enough to suppress the demon if nothing else.

Sasuke slowly crawled out of the hospital bed to stand on shaky legs. Outside, a clap of thunder shook the room. _Damn_. He was much weaker than he thought he'd be. Was finding Naruto even worth it? Sasuke had hardly any logic to follow; he was just doing what felt right. Somehow, the blonde had a way of making him act like that: abandon all rationale and move before he had time to think.

Frowning, he sat back down on the bed, pulling absently at the bandage that still covered his badly burning eyes. They hurt worse today. And his right side still ached and throbbed like hell. Sasuke was amazed that he hadn't bled to death from such a deep wound.

How had he wound up like this? Injured and broken in a village that he had meant to destroy? He hated not knowing: the memories were still stubbornly out of reach. The last thing Sasuke could remember was heading straight to Konoha, rushing through the trees, taking out every ANBU that stood in his way. All he thought about, all he cared about, was carrying out his revenge… '_It's not worth it_.'

Sasuke held his breath. The image of Naruto, standing between him and Konoha, was sudden and clear in his mind.

It was evening. Somewhere to the east, a powerful storm began to build and rage. The massive anvil-head reared above the forest, reflecting the sunset in shades of orange and pink before turning an angry dark purple beneath. It created a strong wind that howled through the trees, blowing their green leaves all around a motionless figure with crimson eyes.

_Sasuke stood still, waiting. He had known Naruto would show up sooner or later to intercept him. But he hadn't been expecting this. The blonde was quiet, and worse, calm. Naruto was never calm._

'_Give it up already.' Naruto's voice was quiet and sad. There were no endless, angry tirades, no big gestures, nothing. 'Revenge,' he continued, 'It's not worth it.'_

_Despite his impatience and rising fury, Sasuke looked closely at his ex-teammate. Cerulean blue eyes, always so full of emotion, were pleading with him. They showed fear, anger, but most of all, empathy. Someone very important had been taken from Naruto. Sasuke could see it there, a sort of emptiness behind his eyes. It made him hesitate, but only for a moment._

'_Too late,' Sasuke whispered, narrowing his eyes._

_Getting around Naruto took a transportation technique. It drained Sasuke's precious chakra considerably, but it was far better than the alternative. Fighting Naruto would not only drain him physically, but – as much as Sasuke wanted to deny it – emotionally as well. And he simply couldn't afford either. Not when he was so close to his goal._

'_Sasuke, wait!' Naruto's voice echoed through the trees. 'Sasuke!'_

Another clap of thunder jerked Sasuke out of his reverie, leaving his mind reeling from the memory. Overcome with a chill that had nothing to do with the room's temperature, Sasuke ran his hands roughly through his hair. He was now biting his lip so hard that it bled.

Nothing had turned out the way it should have. He should be long gone by now, finished at last with avenging his clan. Either that, or he should be dead. When Sasuke had made the decision to destroy Konoha, he had been fully prepared to die, if that's what it took. But, somehow, his priorities had changed. He had fought with the Kyuubi, saved Naruto's life…

"Shit!" Sasuke hissed through clenched teeth. Speculating was getting him nowhere. Something happened to make him change his mind about what was most important, and Naruto had to be the person responsible.

For several long, silent seconds, the Uchiha didn't move. Head bowed, hands gripping jet-black hair, he was a perfect statue, tortured by indecision and confusion. He would find out everything he needed to know eventually, but could he really wait that long? Being so physically weak – blind and drained by constant pain – was bad enough. But combined with the thick fog of uncertainty and amnesia, it was one of the worst states that Sasuke had ever been in. He was left far too vulnerable, and he couldn't bear it.

"Damn it, enough already," he growled, getting back to his feet. Forget waiting and healing. Sasuke had had enough. There was only one person who could tell him everything he needed to know. Finding Naruto just became his top priority.

* * *

To be continued... Part II coming soon!

AN: Thanks for reading! I'm trying out a slower, more detailed writing style. Let me know what you think please! :)

* * *


	2. Chapter 2

I cannot say sorry enough for taking so long to update. What can I say? Real life is a pain... Anyway, here's part II. I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

Warnings: Plenty of friendly fluff. NaruSasuNaru if you look for it.

**Part II**

Pain flared up along his right side the moment Sasuke began to walk. It cut his breath short, making him take in quick, shallow gasps of air as he left the hospital room, trembling with the effort it took to just keep moving.

Even without the injury or the pain, Sasuke was at a terrible disadvantage. His eyes, burning and completely covered up, were useless – as both a tool for sight and as a weapon. Again, the Uchiha had to completely rely on his skills as a shinobi. During those few years under Orochimaru, he had trained extensively in pitch-blackness, often spending several days blindfolded.

It was a form of training that yielded great results for Sasuke. Without relying on sight, he could perform any task assigned to him, depending his other senses so much, that he could detect even the smallest changes in air pressure, and pick up the tiniest sound in a busy city.

Sasuke used these skills now, stumbling down the silent hallway. He could hear each soft patter as his bare feet hit the cold tile, each lazy buzzing as he passed beneath a fluorescent light. He headed in the direction that everyone always went when they left his room. Sasuke could only hope that it was the right way. His jaw clenched tight from nerves and pain, Sasuke tried again and again to find Naruto – or at least the Kyuubi's – chakra.

Ahead of him, the Uchiha suddenly sensed the hallway fork. Soft air movement blowing from three different directions alerted him. He paused for a while, catching his breath. He tilted his head from side to side, hoping to catch something that would help him decide which way to go.

There was no sign of anyone nearby. Only the weak chakra of various patients and their caretakers in their rooms lining the hallway. Sasuke was about to take the fork to his right and hope for the best when a door to his left burst open.

The poor nurse who bustled through the door must have been holding a tray, because she dropped it, squealing in surprise.

Sasuke, momentarily unsure whether to run away or try to get answers from the frightened woman, was surprised again when another woman, this one with familiar chakra, also hurried into the hallway.

"Watch it!" she snapped. "Don't you know that medicine's impossible to get these days? Try to be more careful – ahhh!"

Sasuke cut her off before she even realized he was there, pinning her against the wall.

"Sa- Sasuke-kun?!" she squeaked. She was too surprised to even struggle.

"Ino, right?" Sasuke growled. He had one forearm placed firmly over her throat. Not enough to hurt, just enough to keep her in place. "Tell me. Where are they keeping Naruto?" The Uchiha was doing his best to appear strong and dangerous, but his labored breathing, shivering, and wounded side were more than enough for the medic nin to notice.

"Y- You!" she stammered. "You shouldn't be here! You're far too injured and besides, we have orders to keep you put!"

"I don't care about that!" Sasuke hissed through clenched teeth, shaking his head to one side. "I need to talk to Uzumaki. His procedure should be over by now. Where are they keeping him?" He paused, but then added, "Please?"

Ino hesitated. Sasuke had been her childhood crush, after all. From the speed of her pulse, Sasuke could tell she knew. He held his breath and waited. Waited for the blonde medic nin to give something, anything, away. Even if she didn't mean to. Her attention shifted, briefly. And Sasuke sensed her head turn, ever so slightly, to his right. Down the hallway to the left. Bingo.

Without another word, Sasuke turned and walked down the hallway, ignoring Ino's protests and warnings about his condition. He already knew. But he wasn't about to bend to any nurse or doctor's will, even if they were a shinobi. Sasuke never listened to medical advice before, and he certainly wasn't about to start now. He had more important things to do.

Ino wasn't following him, which could only mean one thing. She had called security. No doubt, the hospital was swarming with guards. They were, after all, keeping the infamous Uchiha prodigy and Kyuubi Jinchuuriki here.

And sure enough, the thumping of running footsteps echoed along the hall in front of him. Sasuke stopped and braced himself, growling in annoyance. He didn't have time for this.

The ninjas came to a halt several yards away. There were only four of them. Chuunin level at best. Sasuke smirked. Good. He could handle that. The guards were nervous and shifty, obviously intimidated. Sasuke could only imagine what his appearance seemed like to them. Blindfolded by bandages, wearing only a pair of hospital shorts, and – the Uchiha grimaced – bleeding from his injured right side… he must be quite a sight to behold.

"Please sir," the squad leader began, stepping forward. "Just calm down. We're going to take you back to your room now." Something in Sasuke's stance must have warned him because he suddenly stopped moving. "Sir?"

"I'll say this only once." Sasuke stated. "Get out of my way."

The leader shifted, probably to raise his arm in an order to attack. At that same moment, Ino came rushing in from behind.

"Hold on, you idiots!" she shouted. "Don't underestimate him!"

Sasuke smirked. Too late.

Aside from the Sharingan, Sasuke was probably best known for his speed. Indeed, there were very few in the ninja world who could match him. And these ninjas were definitely not one of those few. Injured or not, Sasuke was easily far beyond their league. He took out the leader first, knocking the man forward to the ground with a sharp kick to the back of the head. The chuunin didn't even have a chance to yell in surprise. With a shout, the rest of his team spread out, hoping to capture the Uchiha by attacking him all at once. Not a chance. Sasuke evaded each of their attacks flawlessly, and had all of them knocked flat within seconds.

Without turning back, he continued on his way, his right hand now pressed firmly to his bleeding side.

Sasuke heard Ino rush to her fallen comrades, already lecturing them on their recklessness. For half a moment, the Uchiha almost felt guilty. But then he picked up on Naruto's chakra. Sasuke's head snapped up. It was a ways off, but at least he had something to follow. He quickened his pace.

Sasuke's right hand was already covered in blood, pressed against the soggy bandages over his ribs. To say that it hurt like hell was a vast understatement. Stupid Naruto. Always making him do rash things. Like running blindly (literally) through a hospital, bleeding all over the place. Sasuke snorted in disgust.

"You have some nerve, Uchiha."

Sasuke stopped dead. _Damn it!_ Distracted and exhausted – especially now that the bleeding had increased – the Uchiha hadn't even sensed this new shinobi sneaking up behind him. Although Sasuke had to give this guy some credit. He was the same ninja who had tried to assassinate him back in Orochimaru's lair, after all. The dark-haired shinobi didn't come even close to completing his mission of course, but still. It took some real skill to even try.

"Sai, was it?" Sasuke murmured, not turning around.

"Oh, so you remember me?" He sounded delighted, but that didn't mean a thing. Sasuke could sense the kunai drawn only inches behind the back of his neck. "I see that you're trying to find Naruto," Sai continued. "But tell me this: What do you plan on doing when you find him?"

Sasuke hesitated, taken aback by the question. For one thing, Sai had said 'when,' not 'if,' so it wasn't a threat. The question seemed asked more out of curiosity than anything, but Sai had also sounded slightly protective. For some reason, Sasuke took it as a challenge.

"And why," he asked, still not moving, "Does it concern you?"

Sai chuckled. "The bonds that tie people together fascinate me," he answered simply. "They give you something to live for. And…" Sai touched the cold edge of his weapon to the nape of Sasuke's neck. "To die for." Sai's voice grew quiet and deathly serious. "Naruto's bond with you has done nothing but bring him pain. But still… Your name made him smile, even through the tears. And no matter what, it made him stronger."

Sasuke was silent and completely still. His every nerve was buzzing, and he realized that he'd been holding his breath. Bonds… Sasuke hadn't thought of them as a source of strength in a very long time. Could he really be so important in somebody's life? After all that he'd done?

"I still have orders to kill you from my late master," Sai stated calmly. "And I am bound by his will, even in death. However… Naruto is my friend. And to kill you would be a betrayal. I'm sure of it. But more importantly…" He stepped back a little, lifting his kunai away. When he spoke again, his voice was low. "You saved Naruto's life, and nearly got yourself killed doing it. So the bond that he has with you… You must feel it too. Where else would you find the strength to fight back the Kyuubi?" Sai seemed to be speaking as much to himself as he was to Sasuke. "I don't understand it. You and Naruto – your bond must be very strong. I want to see if it's true. So I'll ask you again: What are you going to do when you find Naruto?"

For a long time, Sasuke didn't answer. His body was beyond exhausted now. The blood loss made him light-headed. He was so pumped with adrenaline and endorphins that he was finding it very difficult to think, let alone respond to something like bonds with an old teammate. How could he? When he himself didn't even understand these so-called bonds?

Finally, Sasuke's shoulders slumped in defeat. "I'm only going to talk to him," he responded quietly. "I don't remember anything about what happened that night. Nothing. And if it's true that I fought with Naruto's demon… then I need to ask him why." When Sai didn't say anything, Sasuke just shrugged. "That's all. What I'll do next depends on his answer."

He began to walk slowly forward, towards Naruto's chakra. Very much aware, all the while, of Sai watching him carefully. His scrutiny was making Sasuke's hair stand on end. It was almost like the Root shinobi couldn't decide whether to kill him or help him.

Minutes passed, and Sasuke came to a stairwell. Naruto's chakra was coming from downstairs. With a vivid curse, Sasuke began to make his way slowly down. He was bracing himself against the wall now with his free hand, leaning precariously to one side. After only a few steps down, the Uchiha began to grow clumsy from exhaustion. The cold, rough texture of the wall felt like an anchor. The only thing that kept him steady in a strange, viscous world. Sasuke knew that, if he could see, his vision would be swimming. A few more steps, and he slipped and began to fall forward –

"Geez, you really are worse than Naruto."

Sai had once again appeared out of nowhere, just in time to catch Sasuke on his back. Sasuke gritted his teeth in annoyance.

"Put me down, already."

"You may not be my friend," Sai answered, carrying Sasuke down the stairs, "But I can't just watch you hurt yourself needlessly for Naruto's sake. I think that would upset him."

Sasuke was too tired to respond.

Within two minutes, they reached the room where Naruto was held. Gently, Sai set Sasuke down.

"Uzumaki Naruto is recovering in here."

Sasuke nodded absently and was about to enter the cool, dark room when he remembered something.

"You," he murmured. "You said your 'late master.' Who was he?" Sasuke was blind, but even he could tell that Sai was smiling.

"Danzou. Not surprising. He didn't stand a chance against the two of you. You and Naruto make one formidable team."

Sai was gone before Sasuke could even finish processing what he said.

* * *

Naruto's dim, shadowy figure would have been difficult to make out in the room's darkness had Sasuke been relying solely on his eyes. But to him, Naruto's presence was as clear as day. His chakra – still weak, but growing stronger by the minute – was pulsing in time with his slow, quiet breathing. It was a welcome change from the nearly-dead ninja who shared a hospital room with Sasuke only last night. It filled him with relief, surprising the Uchiha as he felt his tension ebb away. Had he really been that worried about the dobe?

It took him a while, fumbling around near Naruto's bed, but Sasuke finally found a small stool to sit on. He sat down heavily with a weary sigh. God, he hurt all over. And of course, Naruto wasn't even awake yet.

Sleep came fast, too insistent to fight against as it dragged Sasuke deeper and deeper into oblivion. His body felt heavy; he rested his head on his arms when he could no longer hold it up. He was so close to Naruto now that he could hear him breathing in a slow, steady rhythm. It was oddly calming. It brought Sasuke back to a place long ago – back when he used to smile and fight just for fun… The last sensation that Sasuke felt was being filled with a strange sense of peace...

"You _asshole_!"

The all-too-familiar passionate shouting that Sasuke had always associated with a certain blonde teammate slashed into his sleep more rudely than a bucket of ice-cold water ever could. He shot straight up, adrenaline pumping, hair on end as though he'd been shot through with electricity. For a terrifying moment, Sasuke had no idea of where – or when – he was.

A solid punch to the side of the head was enough to knock the Uchiha back into the present.

"Ow! Damn it, what the hell?!" Sasuke snapped, clutching his temple. He had managed to catch himself, but only barely.

Naruto was spluttering. Sasuke could already imagine the blonde pointing an accusing finger in his face.

"Y- You bastard!" he shouted. "Is your own life a priority to you at all?"

"What are you talking about?" Sasuke snapped back. Getting yelled at, he admitted, wasn't entirely surprising, but this was a little much. Where the hell did Naruto get so much energy? He was practically dead an hour ago.

"What do you mean, what am I talking about?! Look at you! You're half dead!"

Sasuke shrank away from the source of so much noise. The yelling was making his splitting headache even worse.

"I'm fine," he growled, a little resentfully. He hated the way Naruto could make him act so childish. Surprisingly though, Naruto didn't come back with a retort right away. Instead, he seemed to be scrutinizing the Uchiha. Sasuke could almost feel Naruto's eyes looking straight through him. Through every barrier, lie, and fear.

There was a long pause.

"You're not fine." Naruto's voice had gone quiet. Barely above a whisper. "Sasuke, what happened to you? I know it's been a while, but I've never seen you like this."

"Like what, exactly?"

"Like you don't know who you are."

"That makes no sense," Sasuke answered, trying to keep as much emotion out of his voice as possible. "And don't concern yourself with how I'm feeling."

Naruto flinched a little, as though Sasuke's words had physically stung him.

"I have every reason to care about you," he murmured. "You are more important to me than – than I could say."

Sasuke didn't move, his heart now hammering beneath aching ribs.

"Do you remember what we said, back at the Valley of the End?" Naruto asked suddenly. "We both said… that we were each other's most important person. I don't care how long it's been since then. That hasn't changed for me." He paused and Sasuke could feel Naruto looking at him critically. "And I know it hasn't for you either. You just don't remember."

Sasuke heaved a weary sigh and placed his face in his hands. This was just too much. But at least Naruto had just reminded him of why he went looking for the blonde in the first place.

The Uchiha swallowed, feeling strangely – well not _nervous_, of course – but a little apprehensive. He wanted so badly to know what had happened, but was he really ready for the answer? Ignorance was torture, but it was a little blissful too. It was quiet. But at the same time… could he really live without knowing what had changed him? Sasuke sighed in defeat.

"That's why I'm here," he murmured at last. "I don't remember. Anything. I have no memory of how I got here."

"Nothing?"

Again, Sasuke sighed. "Nothing."

"Oh."

The tone in Naruto's voice wasn't very comforting. Sasuke waited for the blonde to elaborate, but Naruto was silent, presumably deep in thought.

"What do you mean, 'Oh'?"

"Huh?"

Sasuke snorted in disgust. "Look, I'll ask questions. You just answer 'yes' or 'no.' Got that?"

Naruto growled. "I'm not four years old, teme."

Sasuke ignored him. "Is Danzou dead?"

"Yes."

"Did we kill him?"

"Yes."

"Together?"

"_Yes_."

Sasuke nodded to himself, wishing the news gave him more comfort. So then, his revenge had been carried out after all. But it wasn't nearly all that he needed to know. Sasuke swallowed, ignoring the cold, empty feeling expanding inside of him.

"Naruto," he began in a low voice. "Did we fight?"

"Don't be stupid, Sasuke."

"Just answer the question."

"Of course."

"And the Kyuu --"

"Enough." Naruto's voice was suddenly hard and cold. "That's enough already. I've answered your questions. Now what do you want?"

Sasuke lifted his head, unnerved by Naruto's tone.

"I want to know what happened to me."

There was a long silence as Naruto became completely still, staring long and hard at the Uchiha.

"You want to know what _happened_ to you," he finally said quietly, his voice scathing. Sasuke's defenses flared up as he sensed Naruto's cold anger. An uncomfortable silence stretched between them.

Naruto snapped. "Stop screwing around!" he shouted. Sasuke suddenly found himself jerked up by the collar of his shirt. Naruto held him there, his strong hands holding Sasuke in place with hard, chilling force. They were almost nose to nose. So close, in fact, that Sasuke could feel Naruto's seething anger rising off his face.

Sasuke snarled. "Naru --"

Naruto cut him off with a sharp tug. "You moron! Don't you get it yet?! What you've been looking for has been here, right in front of you this whole time, and you still don't see it! Look at you! You finally turn your head the right way, but you won't open your damn eyes and _look_. And you come here asking _me_ what's happened to you? Damn it Sasuke, you already know the answer!"

Sasuke was stunned into complete silence. His body was riveted in place, unable to move as he frantically tried to fully grasp Naruto's words. It was the strangest thing… Sasuke could tell that, somehow, he _did_ know… something... He couldn't name it, couldn't rationalize it, but he felt it. It was like a faint warmth that was somehow in the same place in his heart that had once been filled with despair.

Sasuke dropped his head in resignation. There was no fight left in him now. He was trembling, biting his lip against the overpowering wave of emotions threatening to overwhelm him. Naruto was still holding on tightly, breathing hard from his tirade.

Sasuke sighed. "Won't open my eyes and look, huh?" he whispered. "That's a terrible joke, idiot."

"You know what I meant," Naruto whispered back. "And it doesn't matter, anyway. The Sharingan can't help you see this. Not this time." He finally released his hold on Sasuke then, and leaned back with a sigh.

"Why don't you take those bandages off?" he asked abruptly.

"What?"

"Around your eyes. I bet you'll feel better."

"These bandages are on for a reason, moron."

Naruto ignored the insult. "It's really dark in here, teme, and besides, it's weird talking to a guy with no eyes."

"You just never change, do you? That's stupid logic."

Naruto growled. "_Fine._ Look, I need to be able to look at you properly... I need to make sure that the – the Kyuubi's completely locked up again."

Sasuke hesitated, taken aback by the strange request. "And how, exactly, will looking at me confirm anything? I can't use my bloodline limit."

Sasuke felt the air move past his face as Naruto shook his head.

"That's not it," he said, "I don't really understand it but…" He paused for a moment. When Naruto spoke again, his voice was really low. "Seeing you again – and especially when I, you know, look into your eyes… the Kyuubi wakes up."

Sasuke frowned. "Why?"

Naruto sighed. "I just told you, I don't know why. But it happens, so could you just take those bandages off and look at me?"

For a while, Sasuke didn't move. To him, removing the bandages was more than some risky task. It was a leap of faith. If anything went wrong, if the Kyuubi somehow emerged… Then there would be nothing to stop him. And most likely both he and Naruto would be killed.

But Naruto had faith that everything would be fine. And he knew best, right? He was the host, after all.

Sasuke bit his lip. Nerves coiled up inside him, and a horrible certainty that something would go wrong clenched at his heart. But he eventually reached up and carefully unwrapped the bandages.

It was harder to do than he thought. His arms felt like they were met with resistance, as though the bandage was heavy, clinging to his head with a mind of its own. But as Sasuke slowly peeled away the white fabric, layer by layer, the resistance gave way to something else. It made him feel lighter. Stronger.

With trembling hands, Sasuke at last pulled off the gauze covering his eyes, shakily letting out a breath that he hadn't realized he'd been holding as he did so. But he kept his eyes firmly shut.

"Sasuke? Open your eyes." Naruto's voice sounded nervous, but was somehow comforting all the same.

The Uchiha swallowed and nodded. "This better work, dobe."

He raised his head, and opened his eyes.

Light shot through Sasuke's skull once again, flaring up in a wave of shapes, colors and values. He hissed in surprise and pain, but kept his eyes open.

It took only a few moments before Naruto's face slowly came into focus. The blonde was right: it really was dim in the room. Sasuke recognized Naruto's blue cerulean eyes first – they were just as obnoxiously bright and full of emotion as he remembered. And they were now staring at him intently. Sasuke blinked and drew back slightly, feeling suddenly nervous. But he didn't break away from that gaze.

Shadows of memories, smoky movements that Sasuke could barely follow, began to move in and out of his mind, still out of reach, but there all the same. And they were gaining clarity. Or at least seemed more vivid.

It wasn't what Sasuke expected. What was vivid about them, those whispy scenes and figures, was the emotions that they brought with them. It is said that the human mind processes feelings more quickly than it processes thoughts. Perhaps it was the same with memories. Sasuke's own emotions at the time were more important, more immediate, than the events that had taken place.

Some moments have a way of lasting for an eternity, even as they seem to last no time at all. They etch themselves in the mind, a constant reminder of that brief, deep memory. That's how it was for Sasuke. For him, time stood still as he emerged from the cloudy confines of his mind and searched Naruto's face for any sign of an emerging demon. There was none.

Breathless with fear, relief, and a strange sense of trust, Sasuke didn't move until Naruto smiled, his teeth bright white against the gloom.

"There, you see?" Naruto's voice was gentle. "Now we know. He's safely back in his cage."

Sasuke could only nod dumbly. Somehow, he had lost the ability to speak.

A soft, worried frown drew across Naruto's face.

"Hey, you'd better close your eyes for a while," he said. "Your eyes are watering from the strain."

Sasuke drew in a shaky breath and immediately dropped his head, hiding his face behind dark bangs. He couldn't tell what he felt more strongly: anger that Naruto had seen him crying (when was the last time that he cried, anyway?), or relief that the dobe had actually saved him from any hasty explanations.

He hastily wiped his eyes and sent a halfhearted glare in the now-grinning blonde's direction.

"You could've killed us both just now, you know," he muttered.

Naruto chuckled. "Scared, were you?"

Shaking his head in disgust, Sasuke decided to ignore him. Instead, he got shakily to his feet, wincing at the sharp pain still in his side.

Beside him, Naruto stood up as well – only to fall flat when he tried to walk. Sasuke whirled around at the sound of Naruto's vivid curse – only to stumble backwards when the world spun sickeningly around him at the sudden movement.

Naruto's laugh echoed in the dark room. "We're a bit of a mess, aren't we? Maybe we should stay put."

Gripping his aching head, Sasuke turned and made his way shakily to the door. "This room is awful," he stated bluntly. "I'm going back to our room."

"Good idea!" Enthusiastic as ever, Naruto pushed himself to his feet and stumbled – clumsily – to Sasuke's side. But he still couldn't walk on his own. Sasuke had about half a moment to realize what Naruto was going to do before the blonde fell sideways, clinging to the Uchiha for support.

Sasuke shook his head. Together, they began to slowly make their way out the door and down the hallway. Neither of them spoke. It was too much work to concentrate on keeping their feet. As it was, their silence was warm and friendly.

After a while of careful, slow progress through the hospital, Naruto paused and stood still, right beside a window. It had finished raining, but low clouds still hung from the sky. Soft, gray light sifted into the hall, adding a pale glow to Naruto's hair and skin. A soft frown crossed his face.

"Do you remember yet?" Naruto's quiet voice shook slightly as he asked the question.

Sasuke nearly asked Naruto what he meant – whether it was the fight a few days ago or the bond that they supposedly shared – but then decided, in the end, it didn't matter.

He shrugged. "I remember enough, for now," he murmured. He couldn't bring himself to meet Naruto's eyes. But he couldn't hide the faint warmth in his voice either.

Naruto smiled and gave Sasuke's shoulder a gentle squeeze. "Good," he whispered. "I missed you, you know…. It's good to have you back."

Then he turned again towards the end of the hallway, and they began to make their way forward once again, quiet and strangely content, despite the awful condition that both their bodies were in.

For the first time in many years, Sasuke smiled. A real, happy smile. He had finally found a word for what he felt. It wasn't something that even the Sharingan could see, after all. But Naruto's eyes had always shone with it. And for the first time since Sasuke could remember, it was shining in his eyes too, if only a little bit. That feeling, the answer that he'd been searching for… it was hope.

_End_

* * *

AN: Woa, I just realized there's only one scene change in this chapter. Interesting. Well! This is my first, completed story! I no longer call myself a failure as an author. Now on to finish _Fires Rekindling_... I really hope you enjoyed this. Please please please let me know what you think! :)

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